Protesters rally near home of man who shot neighbor's dog

State lawmaker to review incident, statute

Outrage continues in Hampstead, N.H., after a man shot and killed his neighbor's dog.

Police said the man's actions were justified.

On Sunday, animal lovers gathered, protesting outside his home and calling for changes to the state law that makes this okay.

The law states, "Any person may kill a dog that is found out of the enclosure or immediate care of its owner or keeper worrying, wounding, or killing sheep, lambs, fowl or other domestic animals."

While the law is clearly outlined in black and white, animal lovers say there's a lot of gray areas and it needs to be amended.

This comes after last weekend, when Fred and Judy Galietta's six-year-old Brittany Spaniel, named Sadie, was shot and killed after going into neighbor Christopher Gibbons back yard.

Gibbons told police he was protecting his rabbits from Sadie, who was barking and circling their cage. He said he yelled at the dog to get away and even fired a warning shot. When that didn't work he shot and killed Sadie.

Fred Galietta disputes that.

"She saw the rabbits and wanted to play with them. She was a playful dog. She played with squirrels and chipmunks," Galietta told WMUR-TV.

A state law says Gibbons was in the right. Animal lovers say he was in the wrong.

On Sunday, for more than an hour, several activists stood outside Gibbons' home in Hampstead to send him a message.

"There are many other ways that this man could have resolved this situation," said protestor Mary Stenson.

Activists also want to send that message to lawmakers.

"We need to stand, band together to change or alter these laws," Acosta said.

The united front appears to be working.

Hampstead Police were on hand to keep things under control and Hampstead Town Selectman Richard Hartung stopped by the scene.

"It's an unfortunate situation and we're going to work through it," Hartung said.

The Gibbons couldn't be reached for comment and "No trespassing" signs are posted on their property.

Earlier this week, Gibbons' wife told News 9 off camera that, "There's a lot of misinformation out there, but this was a vicious attack. The dog was ripping off the back of the cage, and we had to protect our animals."

The Galietta's reiterate that Sadie was lovable and not dangerous.

Meantime, they are appreciative of the community's support. They have gotten flowers, letters, and phone calls.